Amplifier Series: Energy-Efficient Multi-Level Amplifier Solutions

October 3 2018, 05:00

Ward Maas writes about Danish-sensation Merus Audio, the company founded in 2010 by Hans Hasselby-Andersen and Mikkel Hoyerby, and recently acquired by Infineon Technologies. The article recalls how this Copenhagen-based start-up quickly ascended in the audio industry with its new generation of energy-efficient integrated Class-D amplifier solutions. This article was originally published in audioXpress. September 2018.

The September 2018 edition of audioXpress, once again focused on loudspeaker building, design, and testing includes an important story on our Amplifier Series, exploring the latest Class-D technologies. Ward Maas writes about Danish-sensation Merus Audio, the company founded in 2010 by Hans Hasselby-Andersen and Mikkel Hoyerby, and recently acquired by Infineon Technologies. The article recalls how this Copenhagen-based start-up quickly ascended in the audio industry with its new generation of energy-efficient integrated Class-D amplifier solutions. Now available as Infineon's Multi-Level amplifier range, the underlying technology is certainly an important contribution to minimizing heat and design space, and maximizing audio performance and battery playback time for smart home and battery-powered speakers.

In February 2018, shortly after a successful presentation at the CES show in Las Vegas, NV, Infineon Technologies announced the acquisition of Merus Audio. The Copenhagen-based start-up, founded in 2010 by Hans Hasselby-Andersen and Mikkel Høyerby, has developed a new generation of energy-efficient integrated Class-D amplifier solutions, which stirred the industry’s interest. audioXpress was already working on this article. There are several development goals in the design of Class-D audio amplifiers. The advantages for any manufacturer are clear: power, efficiency, quality, and cost. Looking to maximize audio performance and battery playback time for smart home and battery-powered speakers, while minimizing heat and design space, were primary goals for the development of the Merus eximo technology by the Danish company now acquired by Infineon. Since the acquisition, Infineon decided to drop the “eximo” name, now branded simply as multi-level Class D amplifier ICs.

Photo 3: The original multi-level amplifier evaluation kit, created to support development with the new technology now acquired by Infineon.